The Diego Diaries: Getting Better (dd8 372)
=0=Around
Schools let out and buses were everywhere. The underground was filled with children on the Orange Line now that the train system was fully back on line. The Train Hub wasn't finished but it was on its way. Cabs with kids, genitors driving kids and kids hoofing it home from school directly filled the colony with a swirl of activity for about a good joor or so.
Orion sat on the seat with Praxus and Eli, a small mech who was new. He held the little kid's servo, regaling him with tales about the way things worked. By the time they reached his stop where his anxious genitors waited for their baby after his first orn in school he was smiling and nodding. Orion walked him to the bus door, waved as he left, then swaggered back to his seat. Sitting down, he took Praxus's servo and picked up where he left off.
=0=Hero
"Here it comes, Hero," her aide said as she waited with him for the cab.
She grinned, hugged his ped, then walked to the cab to enter. Waving until he faded from view, Hero sat back to ride from Metro District #3 and the city of Metrotitan toward home. Today she would arrive on the street in front of her house where her old pa was waiting for her with Halo.
The cab disappeared into rush hour traffic from view.
=0=Intermediate Day School, Iacon, Mars
They gathered their gear from their lockers in the home room, then walked out with the mob for the train that would take them to Autobot City. All of them were going to dinner with the genitors since the apartment was up and running again. They waited for Saber and Santee, then hurried to the Metro Station inside the school tower.
The platform was filled with students heading every which way, all of them waiting for the line their train ran upon for the direct or near direct shot home. It was a hubbub as they waited as train after train spun through taking kids each time it stopped. When theirs arrived they hurried onboard, found seats and sat. It picked up and began to make the trek to Autobot City.
"I guess the entire tower is signed off," Quadrus said. "I'm glad. The hotel is nice but it isn't home."
Fireball nodded. "We're all going to have dinner together. That's going to be so nice."
The train spun on as they discussed their day, work due, projects and field trips ahead and the start of infant football again. All of them would play.
=0=Others here and there
The little yellow school buses that had Circle Of Light Preparatory Academy upon them lined up at the now eight different sites where the school existed to pick up kids to go home. They were walked to their bus, placed on board, then trundled off to make their 'stops and drops'. Prowler watched them go, then waved when he saw Uncle Sun walked toward the area just inside where they were gathered for those who were picked up directly.
"There my Uncle Sun," Prowler said as he smiled up at Miss Birdie. He loved her golden aura and her sweetness that only the babies seemed to see.
She caressed his cheek. "When he gets to the door then Mr. Sando will let you go to him. I will watch you so you'll be safe."
He smiled at her, held up his teddy bear so she could kiss it goodbye, then toddled toward the door where Sun was waiting. He ran out into Sun's arms and embrace, waved to Miss Birdie who waved back, then both headed out to the apartment tower nearby. They would have a sweet chat on the way.
=0=The Temple School of Primus, Temple of Primus Restored, Autobot City, Mars, before getting the other kids at the bus stop
They lined up, all of the kids to wait for the tiny bus that would take all of them but one toward their homes elsewhere. It was a tiny bus with fifteen seats for kids. It was painted black and had the logo of the Temple on its sides. Babies were loaded and belted in while two aides joined them. Standing beside Lady Sela with her little book bag on her tiny back and a onesie that said 'hi', Halo waited for her 'ride'.
Walking up the street with a big grin, Ironhide stared at his daughter. She was a cute little slagger and was standing next to someone with a golden and white aura. It was good company for anyone let alone a child to hang out all day with Lady Sela.
"ATAR!" she cried, then glanced up at Sela expectantly.
"Fly, my baby," Sela said with a smile.
Running on her tiny legs, Halo met him as he swooped in scooping her up gently. Hugging tightly, she sat on his arm smiling brightly as Ironhide chatted with Sela. "How was school today?"
"Very very nice," Sela said. "They've recovered from the attack all in all. That's been a buzz of anxiety for a while and there were lots of time outs for all of them. Now it appears to have subsided."
"Good," Ironhide said. "We just got signed off on the apartment and we're going home now. She should be better than before. I thought you would want to know."
"That's good. She's been talking about the apartment since the attack. Tell me … do you want her to take the bus home? She's the first stop on the route."
Ironhide thought a moment, then glanced at her. "Why don't we try it. If she gets upset that I'm not coming for her we can go back to the old way."
"Tomorrow then," Sela said as she squeezed Halo's ped.
Halo laughed, then waved as the two of them walked back down the street toward home. They would make a pit stop in RTR Tools, wait for them to close up to go and set their apartment to rights, then go to dinner with the family.
They would find that everyone straightened their apartment out already.
=0=On the way toward dinner
Lancer and Partition got off at the Metro Station, then walked upward hand-in-hand. Work for them would begin soon and they would stay with the family until time to leave. Partition was staff medic at Substation 46 and a full time approved Watchman as well as an on call medic for the Army.
Lancer was riding with the mechs, Springer's group, to get experience as a patrol officer. She would be full time Special Operations-Army and standby Horse Patrol Watchman when she finished the training. She was also a part time student at the University going for an advanced degree in Physics. That part was picking up where she left off before the war as a promising up and coming scientist.
They crossed the street and before entering the building waited for Blackjack, Jack, Raptor and Turbine to reach them. They were carrying boxes of food from The Catering Place and behind them walked Auntie Lissie, STR-RT, Flint and Steiner. They greeted each other, then went inside for the ride upward.
=0=Up there at their houses
Alor put the finishing touches on the apartment before checking on everyone else. Delphi was catching up his own and Turbine's while they got food. Across the hallway getting things organized, Ratchet had all the kids and pets. As he stepped out he nearly collided with Sunstreaker holding Kaon. "Where's the others?"
"Upstairs but they're coming. We're dividing this because Prowl is having dinner with everyone as well," Sunny said as they opened the door to Ratchet's house. A wall of kid noise rolled out as they entered to embrace it themselves.
=0=Up there
The furnishings were finally delivered and placed though Prowl would tweak them to his own tastes. The place looked familiar but slightly sterile without the usual embellishments that a home had that told the tale of the family. That would be replaced, many of them from images from their family nexus site. Prowl calculated he could do it on lunch breaks and the odd joor or two in three orns.
The calculator.
Styre, Tagg, Venture and Optimus were in the train hobby room marveling at how merciful the gods could be as Prowl rattled the pots and pans. Miler was helping while Stealth got the kids ready to eat.
"This is a much bigger kitchen, Prowl. What a great kitchen," Miler said as he looked around.
"We tweaked the plans, Ada. Since we entertain so much I thought we could use a bigger kitchen and dining room. There's a lot of changes overall. You should tour around when you can. The children all have bigger rooms to allow for a study nook and more play room."
"That's so smart, Prowl," Miler said. "Looking ahead as they grow is a good idea."
"How is it coming?" Stealth said as he entered the room. "It smells so good in here."
"Prowl is a first class cook," Miler said proudly. "He takes after all of us, this one."
"He does," Stealth said with a smile. "How about I set the table?"
"Let me help you, Stellie," Miler said then he halted. "Oh. Do we have those sorts of things?"
Prowl considered that, then walked to a cupboard. It was bare. "Well, it doesn't hurt to look," he said with a grin. "How about we go to Alor's and raid his house?"
They would.
=0=Down there
The party was hearty with pizza, drinks, little burgers and a big old Celebration cake because it was a celebration. The place filled up with adult children, hangers-on and the usual crowd.
Ratchet sat on his chair with a plate, a beer and Tell on his lap. He grinned at the baby who grinned back. "Can he walk yet?"
"He can," Drift said as he sat on the floor nearby leaning against a window as he ate from an impossibly full plate. "He's pretty good but when he runs he outpaces his little peds and falls."
"He's going to be a champion in no time and you'll remember this time with fondness," Ratchet said as he slipped the baby a morsel.
He took it, chewed it a bit, then smiled.
"What a champion," Ratchet said, then the baby froze.
He froze, then startled, then screamed.
=0=Upstairs
They sat around the table eating away, enjoying the return to normal that being here had signaled. The children were eating happily as Rambler told of his orn to the adults. He was a prodigy with numbers, a real math find and from that his ability with music flowed. Given his family's skills and the mentors he had in Alor and his ada, the boy was destined to become something else.
Optimus sipped his drink. "I am happy that your home is the way it was supposed to be, Ada. I think you deserved to have a miracle."
"I am so happy, Orion, that the Blessed Ones saw fit to be so kind," Kestrel said. "I am happy for all of us."
"Prowl told me about the children's books. I cried a lot over that but they were restored," Miler said as Venture nodded. "Solus Prime is a blessing to all of us. She is my hero."
"She mentors and assists Optimus the most," Prowl said proudly. "But then again who wouldn't?"
Optimus grinned. "I can think of a few."
"Frag them," Prowl said coldly.
His ada grinned. For once they were on the same page.
=0=Down there
It was amazing how many adults levitated out of their chairs and off the floor when the piercing cry of the baby split audials everywhere. Children froze, animals ran for the hills and food fell onto the floor. Putting his plate on the ground, Ratchet scanned the baby immediately. He glanced around. "SILENCE!"
Everyone froze including the crazed looking adults who were his genitors.
:Don't make a sound. His hearing is coming on line and he's terrified: Ratchet said as he stood up with the baby. Walking to the door, he stepped outside followed swiftly by Drift and Springer who looked numbed with fright, too.
The door closed.
Everyone stared at it, then the mess here and there.
"Atar. Why she?" Orion finally managed to say.
"The baby got scared by a sound," Alor said as he caressed Orion's face. He walked to the door and stepped out.
=0=In the hallway
Ratchet held the crying baby as he held an off line conference with the team who managed Tell's case. Drift and Springer stared at him, then Ratchet with genuine terror on their faces. Alor walked to them to pause by their side. Drift and Springer grasped each other's servo tightly as they stood frozen in place waiting for something, anything to be said. It would take a bit of time.
Tell would howl with tears as they waited.
=0=2-21-22
BWAHAHA! I THOUGHT ALL DAY LONG THAT TODAY WAS SUNDAY! I LOST A WHOLE DAY!
